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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · deal · hide · face · bay · pass · stem · bark

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bark — to shout
  17. key — in music
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com